Government is going to bring amendments in the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act to deal more firmly with the problem of commercial sexual exploitation of women, the Lok Sabha was informed Wednesday.

Cabinet's approval to these amendments are awaited, Minister of State for Human Resource Development Kanti Singh said while replying to a Calling Attention notice moved by Minati Sen, Communist Party of India-Marxist. The CPI-M member voiced concern over the increase in incidents of trafficking in women in the country, saying it threatened the social fabric.

She said girls below 18 years of age are being lured with promises of good jobs in Nepal, West Bengal, Assam and other areas and taken to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata where they are forced into prostitution. Singh said the Human Resource Development Ministry has framed a National Plan of Action on combating trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation and constituted a Central advisory committee to monitor implementation of this action plan.

Steps have been taken to raise awareness in society about this evil, the minister said, adding that a number of schemes have been launched like Short Stay Homes, Swadhar and Pilot Project for rescue and rehabilitation of such exploited women and children. She said the Department of Women and Child Development has initiated a number of schemes like Kishori Shakti Yojana, Swa Shakti, Swayamsidha, Swavlambvan and STEP for economic empowerment of women.